It is exactly 30 days since Dr Lazarus Chakwera and Dr Saulos Chilima were sworn in as the President and Vice President of the country resoectively at Malawi Square in the Capital, Lilongwe.
Chakwera defeated former ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) President Professor Peter Mutharika in 23rd June court ordered Fresh Presidential Polls.
BELOW IS DR CHAKWERA’S ADDRESS DUBBED “TONSE GOVERNMENT REPORT : DAY 30
As the first 100 days of my Admistration continue, we have completed three of the five phases of our transition.
The first phase, lasting one week, was from the day Dr. Chilima and I were sworn in to the day I was inaugurated. That phase focussed on 7 things: installing new leadership over State Residences; installing new leadership over the Civil Service; installing new leadership over the House of Parliament; installing new leadership over the Treasury; passing a new transitional budget focussed on food security, tax cuts, and governance; outlining the pillars of the Tonse Philosophy that will be our guide going forward; and engaging our neighbors, development partners, and private sector on how to participate in our transformation agenda.
The second phase of the transition, lasting three weeks, was from the day I was inaugurated to the end of my first week at Kamuzu Palace. That phase also focussed on 7 things: building and deploying a transitional cabinet with clear timelines and key performance indicators; promoting Malawi’s global interests through strategic media and diplomatic footprints, including direct engagement with the White House; clearing the rubble of cadets and the state of filth we found at the presidential palace, which we will do across the state machinery; suspending the politically compromised boards and contracts at dozens of parastatals until audits are done; launching my regular radio address to enhance transparency and advance the Tonse vision of a New Malawi, beginning with my Anti-Corruption drive, which is already bearing fruit as law enforcement agencies are finally enjoying the independence they need to crack down on looters without fear of political interference or reprisals; appointing new heads of departments and the initial batch of Chief Advisors to help me manage State House affairs, as well as a new Presidential Taskforce and Office on Covid-19 to drive our efforts to contain the pandemic; meeting all Ambassadors of other nations to orient them on the priorities the governments they represent can support.
Today marks the start of the fourth phase, to last 40 days! This will focus on making significant progress on the appointment of new boards of parastatals, through which the dross of sycophants will be further removed; implementing lasting legislative and administrative reforms within state institutions, companies, and ministries, in readiness for rolling out key Tonse programs and promises to the people. In recognition of the fact that this phase demands our concerted efforts, yesterday I hosted a summit of the nine Presidents of the nine parties in the Tonse Alliance. I am happy to report that although we each lead unique political entities, we remain unanimous and resolute in our commitment to not allow the parochial interests that may exist within our own parties to derail our collective national agenda. We thus reaffirmed our devotion to replenish Malawi through the three pillars of the Tonse Philosophy:
1. SHARED RESPONSIBILITY for the national sins of the past
2. SHARED ACCOUNTABILITY for the work of nation-building in the present
3. SHARED PROSPERITY from all the national treasures we have.
At Your Service,
Lazarus M. Chakwera
State President.
